Everything about Li-ion is changing, including all electrode and electrolyte chemistry and morphology, so keeping up with the what, why and when is essential. Many niche and volume opportunities are opening up for all in the value chain. Global Information (GII) is taking registrations for this spring's Next Generation Batteries conference in Boston. Highlighted reports and research briefs selected from our latest battery market research reports are provided below for conference attendees or industry participants who want to stay ahead of the competition.

Next Generation Batteries | April 30 – May 1, 2013 | Boston, MA

Breakthroughs in new battery chemistries, novel electrode and electrolyte materials, system integration for a vast array of mobile, portable and stationary applications, from micro medical devices to high-energy/high-power automotive, have paved the roadmap for an emerging market with unlimited potential. Will lithium-ion batteries deliver on the promises of the power, energy, cost and safety in commercially available energy storage systems? Or maybe the future lays somewhere beyond lithium-based chemistries? The conference's panel of leading experts in fields of battery materials, systems design and integration, manufacturing and commercial applications will look into emerging issues underlining this pivotal time in the battery industry.

Lithium ion battery technology still falls short of market needs in terms of both technical performance and cost. These shortcomings and potential future demand for energy storage are driving innovation in the next generation of advanced battery energy storage. The goal of this innovation is to find lower cost raw materials and increase lifecycle expectations - both of which, in turn, will enable lower capital costs and lower total cost of ownership across all battery applications.

Only through advances in materials science and manufacturing, delivering higher energy densities, using lower cost materials, producing systems that will last at least twice as long as commercially available battery products, can these cost reductions be achieved. Those advances will drive sharp increases in the installed capacity of advanced batteries for grid-scale applications - growing from a few hundred megawatts (MW) in 2013 to more than 10,000 MW in 2020.

This research brief details the state of the advanced battery industry today and examines the materials and design innovations that have the potential to revolutionize the energy storage industry. Forecasts for total capacity of advanced batteries and for investment in grid-scale advanced batteries are included through 2020. In addition, the research brief profiles the key players in this rapidly evolving sector.

The U.S. military is the largest consumer of natural resources in the world. Advanced battery innovation is the subject of R&D efforts funded by the White House, special projects at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and research labs under the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. In the next 5 to 10 years, the military seeks to develop high-voltage battery cells through materials science research and to ultimately develop solid-state battery systems that will be lightweight and energy dense.

This research brief details the U.S. military's efforts to advance battery technology, examining the history of military battery use, the relation of advanced batteries and military energy security, and specific military applications, including unmanned aircraft systems. Key players focusing on advanced battery technology for military applications are listed along with competing technologies being reviewed for power and propulsion systems. Conclusions and recommendations for battery developers and suppliers are also provided.

About Global Information Inc. Global Information (GII) (http://www.giiresearch.com) is an information service company partnering with over 300 research companies around the world. Global Information has been in the business of distributing technical and market research for more than 25 years. Expanded from its original headquarters in Japan, Global Information now has offices in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Europe and the United States.